This week, I delivered my final keynote of the year, and instead of sadness, something surprising rose up in me: joy, gratitude, and a deep sense of alignment. It reminded me how powerful our first times and last times really are. Firsts open us to possibility. Lasts reveal how much we have grown. When we honor both, we move through life with more awareness, courage, and intention.

Thanksgiving always reminds me to slow down and appreciate the areas of my life that keep me grounded, growing, and connected. I return to these eight daily commitments because they help me notice what matters and stay aligned with the person I want to be. This season, gratitude becomes more than a feeling. It becomes a practice. A lens. A way of seeing every part of life with more intention and presence.

A simple moment with my son showed that many no’s come from habit, fear, or ego rather than values or boundaries. Pausing to check in with myself transformed the experience. What began as a haircut turned into a lesson about choosing responses that create meaningful moments.

Dimming your light doesn’t benefit anyone. Your energy, ideas, and presence are meant to shine. Give others permission to create the kind of impact that matters.

We’re moving after nine years in our first home - the one that held our laughter, growth, and change. It’s exciting and heartbreaking all at once. This move reminded me that leadership, like life, is about knowing when to honor what was and still step into what’s next.

Four years after crashing my paraglider, I finally decided to fly again. What I found wasn’t just the sky waiting for me - it was the truth about fear, courage, and love. Fear didn’t vanish when I took off; it transformed. It reminded me that healing isn’t about avoiding what once hurt us but trusting ourselves enough to return, with more awareness and gratitude than before.

There are questions we ask to survive - what to eat, how to earn, where to live - and then there are questions that help us truly live. Exploring who we are, what love, happiness, and purpose mean, and how we want to live invites reflection, growth, and the courage to live with intention.

We often use dependable and reliable as if they mean the same thing. But in leadership, family, and life, there’s a powerful distinction between the two. Dependability keeps things steady, while reliability moves them forward. Shifting from being dependable to being reliable transforms how we lead, connect, and create impact.

We all carry old stories - about who we are, what we’re worth, and what’s possible. They feel safe because they’re familiar, yet they keep us trapped in patterns that no longer serve us. The moment we begin telling a new story, one written with freedom, possibility, and choice, we create space to become the version of ourselves we’re meant to be.

Summits in life go beyond reaching the peak. The ego climber focuses on recognition and achievement, while the soul climber embraces humility, gratitude, and growth, reminding us what true fulfillment looks like